I recently was diagnosed with HIV (in May) possibly infected late last year. After a screening for a research trial my cd4 count is around 400/500 and my viral load is over 10,000. I am now experiencing these red hard bumps, which seem like zits but are painful and bright red and last longer than a typical zit. They show up on strange places like my forearm, lower leg, face, back. Once one appears and then begins to fade, another will appear on my body. I have yet to be seen by a doctor officially, outside of screenings for a clinical trial. Some other infections I have had include hep a + b, gnorrhea and herpes. My father had psoriasis. I'm not sure if these bumps are a just a result of hiv or from something else (another infection, genetics, both?)

Response from Dr. Feinberg

It's hard to diagnose skin lesions over the Internet, but these "bumps" sound like they could be folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicle, and certainly treatable. See your doctor for a definitive diagnosis.

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